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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26562505">Embers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/OpalEmpress/pseuds/OpalEmpress'>OpalEmpress</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Darth Baras is a manipulative a-hole, Gen, Sith Warrior Storyline, The Starbinder Legacy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 09:47:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,162</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26562505</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/OpalEmpress/pseuds/OpalEmpress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>One fateful morning on Balmorra for a certain Lieutenant Malavai Quinn.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Embers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lieutenant Malavai Quinn did not like mornings. He had never enjoyed them, but since his placement on Balmorra, mornings were not only unpleasant, they were another reminder that he was trapped on a the most useless rock in the galaxy, where he was the least useful to the Empire. He was grateful to still be wearing the uniform, but every day he put it on, it was a reminder of all he could have accomplished by now. </p><p>If only he had not been at Druckenwell.</p><p>He didn’t regret his actions—he had saved lives, won the battle. But the angry selfish part of himself that he pushed down over and over wondered what he might have been if he had been under literally any other commanding officer in the Imperial military, if he had been serving Darth Baras already, if he had taken a post with Imperial Intelligence instead of the fleet.</p><p>But it didn’t matter. He reminded himself of that, fixing his hair in the mirror. The Empire mattered. He was here now—he would make the best of it. If he was stuck on Balmorra for the rest of his life, he would fight its resistance until they were dust. So be it.<br/>
His morning consisted of looking over reports from the governor—sloppy as ever, and he rolled his eyes at the details they glossed over—and other notes from his own men on the resistance. Cheketta was growing his forces, it seemed—likely through the Republic’s assistance. There was also the Jedi who had arrived: her movements were odd and would likely mean more to Baras than to him. Quinn flagged both the reports for Baras’ attention and moved on to the casualty reports, sipping a mug of caf, frowning at it’s bitterness. Sweeteners were in short supply until the next supply drop, and he made a mental note to request extras for himself.</p><p>His holocom blinked, and his heart skipped a beat—the frequency was Baras’. He tried to quell his rush of hope—no matter how long he was here, every time he received a call from the enigmatic Darth, he hoped against all hope that he would hear that Baras had found a way to get him out of Sobrik. He would have taken a posting anywhere else—even Hoth.</p><p>“My lord,” he said, bowing before the blue image. “How can I be of service?”</p><p>“Ah, Lieutenant,” came the Sith Lord’s voice, “How fares Balmorra?”</p><p>“The same as ever, I’m afraid, my Lord.”</p><p>“Well, I hope I can brighten your day, then, Quinn. I have need of you.”</p><p>His heart soared for a moment. “I don’t know how to thank you, Lord Baras.”</p><p>The laughter that came over the speaker was not kind. “I don’t mean to get your hopes up, Lieutenant. Let me explain: my apprentice is coming to Balmorra. She will have need of your assistance to complete her mission there.”</p><p>Quinn could feel the disappointment on his face, but hoped his response was fitting. “I will do all I can to ensure her a warm welcome here. What should I know about her mission?"</p><p>“You will need to provide her with an assessment of Balmorra’s status, as well as assisting her in an assault on the Republic forces, including the satellite control tower held by their false resistance. In addition, you will need to keep watch on the investigator, and alert us both of her movements.”</p><p>“Very good, my lord. When should I expect her?”</p><p>“Within a day, Quinn. I’m transmitting her landing code now. Oh, and Lieutenant—do inform me if she causes you any trouble.”</p><p>The line went dead, and Quinn sighed, sinking into the chair by his desk. Of course, departure from the planet wasn’t going to happen.</p><p>At least life will be more interesting for a few days, he thought to himself, refreshing his mug, and sending a notice to the spaceport guard to alert him when the apprentice’s ship docked. Having another Sith around could be useful for the troops—it was often that weeks went by with only Imperials on the ground. Balmorra was, after all, a backwater, not of any interest to most Sith. Perhaps it would be a morale boost for his men.</p><p>It was past midday when he got notice that her ship had docked, and Quinn felt uncharacteristically nervous. It wasn’t just the troops who weren’t used to seeing Sith—he himself only saw Baras via holo, and then not often.</p><p>“Sir?”</p><p>His teeth ground in frustration, “This had better be important, Jillins.”</p><p>The young solider looked terrified. “I’m so sorry, sir. I—I know you wanted us to watch out for that woman from the Jedi, sir. But I’m afraid I lost her in the plains.”</p><p>He rubbed his forehead—of course this would happen now. “What happened, Private?”</p><p>“She was just there one minute and gone the next, sir! I don’t know how she did it.” He was obviously terrified. “Sir, I apologize, sir. It was the best I could do.”</p><p>As he spoke, voice trembling, Quinn saw two figures round the corner into his office, and stood a little straighter before responding, “If that’s your best, you’re useless to me. I can shoot you dead with a clean conscious. Is that what you want?” His voice was calm, but his frustration was obvious.</p><p>The soldier looked terrified, “N-no, sir!”</p><p>“Then, focus, Jillins. Dismissed.”</p><p>The private turned, seeming to barely register the two women who now stood near him. One, the blue Twi’lek, held a hand over her mouth to suppress a giggle at the soldier’s back, but the other had barely spared him a glance as he passed her. Quinn opened his mouth to speak but found himself instead staring at the woman before him.</p><p>She was obviously Sith—the lightsabers at her sides would have made that obvious even without the power that surrounded her, though it did not shroud her the way Baras’ did. Her long blonde hair was tied back at the top of her head, away from her face—a sign that she favored close quarters combat, he knew—and her eyes, when they met his, were quick and clever, and he got the feeling that she was sizing him up as much as he was her. Of course—she was Baras’ apprentice, after all. The Darth would suffer no simple fool who was only concerned with destruction.</p><p>He was momentarily mesmerized, and a part of him—a part that he had thought he buried long ago—flickered to life in her presence, ignited by her stare, by the curve of her lips, by the arch of her neck and drape of her hair. But he was quick to smother it, and bowed from the waist, hoping he had not delayed too long before doing so, “I apologize for the delay, my lord. Lieutenant Malavai Quinn. I am to be your liaison here on Balmorra.”</p>
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